Leo Carrillo park still growing after first decade

City's commitment to restoration brings history to life at actor’s property

Guests tour Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park during Wild West Days in Carlsbad. The park is celebrating its 10th anniversary at the former home of "The Cisco Kid" co-star Leo Carrillo, who was a Hollywood film star in the 1930s and '40s.
— James Gregg

Guests tour Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park during Wild West Days in Carlsbad. The park is celebrating its 10th anniversary at the former home of "The Cisco Kid" co-star Leo Carrillo, who was a Hollywood film star in the 1930s and '40s.
— James Gregg

There are about 80 of them — peacocks and peahens, to be accurate — and they wander through the park undisturbed, like the sacred cows of India.

“They are loud and noisy because it’s mating season,” park employee George Sangster told a visitor Wednesday afternoon, as the birds’ calls echoed across the grounds.

But the birds are just a sidelight. There’s plenty more to see at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

Once a working ranch, and later a gathering spot for Hollywood’s swank set, the park just off Melrose Drive south of Poinsettia Lane holds a wealth of information about the career of its namesake star of stage and screen, as well as the lengthy history of the region.

And it has become again, as it was in the 1940s, a popular spot for special events, hosting an average of two weddings per weekend during the summer.

“When we opened in 2003, that was a landmark year for us,” said Mick Calarco, Carlsbad’s recreation services manager.

Calarco was hired as the park’s manager and has seen it develop over the years.

Getting started

After the city embarked on its plan for the property, much of the initial work involved creating fences, roads, pathways, parking areas and other things needed to turn what was still a private residence into a public park, Calarco said.

“We realized that this was a big park, close to 27 acres, with about 11 acres of that where most of the buildings were,” he said.

Many of the initial visitors were older residents who remembered Leo Carrillo from his movies in the 1930s and ’40s, and his television show “The Cisco Kid” in the 1950s.

Those older residents had trouble getting around, he said, so one of the park’s initial investments was a six-passenger electric cart that remains in use today.

One of the biggest restoration efforts was Carrillo’s old hay barn, a project begun in 2008 and completed in 2011. It now houses the visitor center, with a small gift shop and a theater.

Sangster, the park employee, admitted about a dozen people to the restored barn Wednesday afternoon as he filled in for an absent docent. The guests sat on canvas chairs in the high-ceiling theater to watch a 10-minute video about Carrillo’s life and his ranch.

Old posters and publicity photos from the actor’s career adorned the wooden walls. An old cowboy hat, some rope and worn leather gloves hung from pegs.

After the short film, the guests walked out into the dust-filled sunshine to visit the nearby hacienda, with its sparkling swimming pool, or to look over the blacksmith shop or some of the other old buildings.

Adding to the ranch

Calarco praised the city for continuing to spend money on the park’s improvement over the years.

“A lot of historic parks are in dire need of maintenance,” he said, but Carlsbad has been dedicated to the steady upkeep and improvement of Leo Carrillo.